21: Pirates (Kuhl) at Phillies (Anderson)

LoneStarPhan 2021-03-05 18:57:54 UTC #1

Anderson pitches first two innings, 18 pitches, six outs, 3 Ks. Looked good.
Howard pitches a scoreless, hitless, walkless third inning with 2 Ks.

Didi single, Harper homer in the first inning puts the Phillies ahead, 2-0.
Harper with a single in his second at bat, exit velocity 110.

andyb 2021-03-05 19:04:54 UTC #2

7 starters deep would be a nice position to be in. All 4 of the back end candidates have looked good in their first outings (admittedly against mediocre lineups).

LoneStarPhan 2021-03-05 19:25:36 UTC #3

Bradley pitches a scoreless fourth inning but does give up a hit and walked one.
Neris pitches a 1-2-3 fifth inning with 2 Ks.

Phillies lead 2-0 as they come to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning.

LoneStarPhan 2021-03-05 19:31:54 UTC #4

McCutchen in his third at bat today (having K'd twice), hits an 0-2 pitch out to left for the home run to make it a 3-0 game.

andyb 2021-03-05 20:06:46 UTC #5

All pitchers perfect other than Bradley today through 7.

Edit - Brogdon changeup in midseason form:
https://twitter.com/paul_boye/status/1367926008695914497

Coonrod adds another perfect inning with 2 Ks.

LoneStarPhan 2021-03-05 20:39:52 UTC #6

Romero pitches the ninth giving up a single and a walk but no runs. Behind in the count way too often and needed 26 pitches. Compare to the 28 pitches combined to get through the previous 3 innings for Alvarado, Brogdon, and Coonrod.

Final

Pirates 0-2-1
Phillies 3-7-0

A full game (8 1/2 innings)

Romero records a spring training save in spite of being clearly the weakest link in the pitching rotation today. Of course, a combined two hit shutout is a pretty strong chain of pitching put up by the Phillies today.

andyb 2021-03-05 20:50:46 UTC #7

Yes it was the travel team for the Pirates, but they could be really bad this year. The whole NL Central is going to be pretty bad. Maybe the Cardinals with 88 games against the weak competition, but everyone else seems to be playing for the future rather than 2021.

I am also fine if Romero does not make the team out of Spring Training. He has options and he really has never pitched a full season in a bullpen high-velocity role. It would be perfectly natural for him to need at least a half season at AAA in that role to figure it out.